IN BOLIVIA, PRO MUJER IS ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS GOOD PLANNING AND MONITORING CAPACITY

Once again, Pro Mujer demonstrated its commitment to women’s empowerment and development efforts in Bolivia through its innovative financial and training services, thus receiving a high rating from MicroFinanza Rating (MFR).

MicroFinanza Rating (MFR) is a global rating agency specialized in inclusive and sustainable finance that provides independent ratings, certifications and high-quality information aimed at improving transparency, facilitating investments and promoting responsible practices in the microfinance sector globally. Once again, Pro Mujer received a high rating from MFR that only 16% of entities rated by the agency worldwide have also obtained.

Within the MFR rating system, there is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance qualification, which includes four categories: social performance management system, customer protection and CSR, scope, and quality of services.  In its report, MFR gave Pro Mujer an A- for the CSR performance qualification meaning that Pro Mujer had, “good planning and monitoring capacity - results mostly aligned with the strategic planning of the organization.”

The rating agency also mentioned that Pro Mujer has a broad commitment to its social mission and CSR planning, and that the design of its products and services are aligned with the needs of its target population, Bolivian women. This is why Pro Mujer’s different programs and initiatives in 2020 aimed to economically empower Bolivian women, especially those in rural areas. Of those who use Pro Mujer services in Bolivia, 77% are women and 12% live in rural areas.

Championing skills building

Additionally, Pro Mujer provided virtual and in-person trainings on various topics to approximately 225,000 people in Bolivia. For example, Pro Mujer partnered with Cisco Networking to provide digital literacy trainings through the “Get Connected” course, which taught 534 people how to create accounts on social networks and computer networks and how to identify computer problems.

Creating innovative financial services

In another example, Pro Mujer has also begun to offer credits to finance electric vehicles in partnership with Quantum Motors, showing its commitment to caring for the environment. To further reiterate this commitment, Pro Mujer participated in its first carbon footprint measurement, a calculation that is proportional to the carbon dioxide absorbed by 2,060 trees in a period of 10 years, and received a low result compared to other companies in the field, demonstrating its dedication to environmental sustainability.

In addition, as part of its work with the community, Pro Mujer partnered with Pure Cotton on a project called “Barbijos para el mundo, elaborados por mujeres empoderadas” to train 22 women to produce make face masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in 8,479 high-quality masks.

Prioritizing health care

Similarly, Pro Mujer worked hard in 2020 to expand access to health, providing more than 57,000 people with the opportunity to access medical care in person and or virtually. For example, thanks to a partnership with Colgate Palmolive on an oral health educational campaign, Pro Mujer delivered more than 17,000 oral health and oral care kits to people across Bolivia.

Ending Gender-based Violence

Lastly, Pro Mujer is working tirelessly to end gender-based violence in Latin America. By launching a toll-free phone line called #MujerSegura in Bolivia, it has been able to provide guidance and advice to women in situations of violence, answering a total of 2,259 calls.

Through all its programs, Pro Mujer is positioning itself as a leader in advancing women’s equality in Latin America in every aspect of its operations, marking its commitment supporting the development of the communities where it works.